Personal mobility assistance devices with integrated light sets

ABSTRACT

A personal mobility assistance device includes a frame that includes a first ridged component moveable relative to a second ridged component by a linkage mechanism. The first rigid frame component has a first light emitter mounted in a first opening in the first rigid frame component and the second rigid frame component has a second light emitter mounted in a second opening in the second rigid frame component. The first light emitter is connected to a first component conductor portion of a conductor within the first rigid component and the second light emitter connected to a second component conductor portion of the conductor within the second rigid component. A conductor connection mechanism within the linkage mechanism includes a plurality of contacts that electrically connect the second component conductor portion to the first conductor portion when the linkage mechanism is in at least one position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/261,938 filed onJan. 30, 2019, Attorney Docket BED100C1, entitled “PERSONAL MOBILITYASSISTANCE DEVICES WITH LIGHT SETS AND LIGHT SET KITS”, now U.S. Pat.No. ______, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/634,948 filed on Jun. 27, 2017, Attorney Docket BED100, entitled“PERSONAL MOBILITY ASSISTANCE DEVICES WITH LIGHT SETS AND METHODS”, nowU.S. Pat. No. 10,234,087, which claims priority to ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 62/357,551, filed on Jul. 1, 2016, all of which areincorporated by reference in their entirety, herein.

FIELD

This invention generally relates to light sets and more particularly topersonal mobility assistance devices with integrated light sets.

BACKGROUND

Personal mobility assistance devices are used to assist in moving peopleand pets. Personal mobility assistance devices include personal wheeledmobility assistance vehicles and personal non-wheeled mobilityassistance devices. Examples of personal wheeled mobility assistancevehicles include baby strollers, child strollers, jogging strollers,wheel chairs, knee scooters, and pet strollers. Examples of personalnon-wheeled mobility assistance devices include walkers, crutches andcanes.

SUMMARY

A personal mobility assistance device includes a frame that includes afirst ridged component moveable relative to a second ridged component bya linkage mechanism. The first rigid frame component has a first lightemitter mounted in a first opening in the first rigid frame componentand the second rigid frame component has a second light emitter mountedin a second opening in the second rigid frame component. The first lightemitter is connected to a first component conductor portion of aconductor within the first rigid component and the second light emitterconnected to a second component conductor portion of the conductorwithin the second rigid component. A conductor connection mechanismwithin the linkage mechanism includes a plurality of contacts thatelectrically connect the second component conductor portion to the firstconductor portion when the linkage mechanism is in at least oneposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a generic example of a personal mobilityassistance device with a light set.

FIG. 1B is an illustration of the exemplary personal mobility assistancedevice in low light conditions.

FIG. 1C is an illustration of a generic example of a wheeled personalmobility assistance device with a light set.

FIG. 1D is an illustration of an example where the wheeled personalmobility assistance device is observed in low light conditions.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an example of a light set.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of an example of a light set having 60 lightemitters.

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a perspective view of the personalmobility assistance device for an example where the device is a childstroller with the light set.

FIG. 3B is an illustration of a perspective view of the personalmobility assistance device for an example where the device is a babystroller with the light set.

FIG. 3C is an illustration of a perspective view of the personalmobility assistance device for an example where the wheeled personalmobility assistance device is a pet stroller with the light set.

FIG. 3D is an illustration of a side view of the personal mobilityassistance device for an example where the wheeled personal mobilityassistance device is a wheel chair with the light set.

FIG. 3E is an illustration of a perspective view of the personalmobility assistance device for an example where the device is a walkerwith the light set.

FIG. 3F is an illustration of a side view of the personal mobilityassistance device for an example where the device is a crutch with thelight set.

FIG. 4A is an illustration of a side view of an example of a portion ofa mobility assistance device with a linkage mechanism.

FIG. 4B is an illustration of a side view of the linkage mechanism in asecond configuration.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a side view of an example of a light setattachment route.

FIG. 6A is a block diagram of an example of a light set kit.

FIG. 6B is a block diagram of an example of a light set kit where theattachment instructions are provided on the Internet.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a model specific light set for an examplewhere the light set is designed for a particular model of mobilityassistance device.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of portion of a light set for an example wherethe mechanical fasteners are part of the light set.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a portion of an example of a model specificlight set where the position of each mechanical fastener is selectedbased on a specific mobility assistance device model.

FIG. 10A is an illustration of an example of a customizable light set.

FIG. 10B is an illustration of a side view of a portion of an example ofa customizable light set.

FIG. 10C is an illustration of a perspective view of a portion of anexample of a customizable light set.

FIG. 10D is an illustration of a side view of the customizable light setshowing an attachable light emitter secured to the flexible conductor.

FIG. 10E is an illustration of a perspective view of the customizablelight set showing an attachable light emitter secured to the flexibleconductor.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example of a customizable light setkit.

FIG. 12A is a flow chart of method of attaching a light set to amobility assistance device.

FIG. 12B is a flow chart of a second example of a method of attaching alight set to a mobility assistance device 10.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a portion of a light set 1300 for anexample where the colors of the light emitters correspond to colors of alogo 1302.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of generic example of a personal mobilityassistance device 10 with a light set 12. FIG. 1B is an illustration ofthe exemplary personal mobility assistance device 10 in a low lightcondition. FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B do not represent any particular personalmobility assistance device 10 and are only intended to genericallyillustrate some concepts of the embodiments discussed below. Inaccordance with techniques discussed herein, a light set 12 is attachedto a personal mobility assistance device (mobility device) 10 such as achild stroller, baby stroller, jogging stroller, wheel chair, kneescooter, pet stroller, walker, cane, or crutch. The light set 12 isattached in such a way that, in low light conditions, an observer of thelight emitters 14 of the light set 12 perceives at least some of theshape of the personal mobility assistance device. The spacing betweenthe light emitters 14 is sufficiently small to allow the observer tointerpret the shape of the mobility device 10. In some examples, thelight set 12 is attached to the frame of the mobility device. Inaddition, the light set may be attached to other features of themobility device to further outline the shape of the mobility device 10.For example, the light set 12 may be attached to a seat to highlight theseat. In some situations, a light set 12 may be attached to a wheel.FIG. 1B shows that the shape of mobility device 10 can, at leastpartially, be determined by the illumination pattern 16 of the lightemitters.

The personal mobility assistance device 10 may be a wheeled personalmobility assistance device (wheeled mobility device) or a non-wheeledpersonal mobility assistance device (non-wheeled mobility device).Accordingly, as used herein, a personal mobility assistance device 10,mobility assistance device 10, mobility device 10, and device 10 broadlyand collectively refer to wheeled mobility assistance devices andnon-wheeled mobility assistance devices. Examples of wheeled mobilitydevices include child strollers, baby strollers, jogging strollers,wheel chairs, knee scooters, pet strollers, and standing wheel chairs.Examples of non-wheeled mobility devices include walkers, crutches, andcanes.

In some situations, a mobility assistance device 10 may be moved bysomething other than human power. For example, electric motors can beused to propel, or assist in propelling, devices such as scooters, wheelchairs, strollers, and other wheeled mobility devices. The examplesdiscussed below focus on human propelled devices. The techniques andlight sets discussed herein, however, may be applied to mobility devicesthat are driven, powered or otherwise moved by something other thanhuman power. Such devices are referred to as powered personal mobilityassistance devices, powered wheeled devices, powered devices, and othersimilar terms.

FIG. 1C is an illustration of a generic example of a wheeled mobilityassistance vehicle 100 with a light set 12. FIG. 1D is an illustrationof an example where the vehicle 100 is observed in low light conditions.Therefore, FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D are illustrations of an example where themobility device 10 is a wheeled mobility device 100, which is alsoreferred to as a wheeled mobility assistance vehicle 100. As discussedherein, the wheeled mobility assistance vehicle 100 is any cart,stroller, or wheelchair used for moving an adult, child or pet. Asdiscussed above, examples of wheeled mobility assistance vehicles 100include child strollers, baby strollers, jogging strollers, petstrollers, knee scooters, medical scooters, and wheel chairs. For theexamples herein, the wheeled mobility assistance vehicle 100 includes atleast a plurality of wheels 106, 108 and a frame 110. In mostsituations, the vehicle 100 also includes a passenger support mechanism112 such as a sling, seat, chair or harness. The vehicle may alsoinclude one or more handles 114 that allow a person to push the vehicle100. Depending on the particular type of vehicle, the vehicle may alsoinclude a canopy or shade mechanism 116 and other features. Theillustration of FIG. 1C is a generic representation of a vehicleillustrating the components of the vehicle 100 and does not necessarilyshow a particular vehicle.

In accordance with the examples herein, the light set 12 is attached tothe frame of the vehicle 100. As discussed below in further detail, thelight set 12 includes at least a plurality of light emitters 14, a powersource 120 and a flexible conductor 122 connecting the light emitters 14to the power source. Although other techniques may be used in somecircumstances, the light set 12 is attached to the frame using flexiblemechanical fasteners 124. In one example, the mechanical fasteners 124are plastic cable ties. The light set 12 is attached to the vehicle insuch a way that, during appropriate light conditions, the light emitters14 outline features of the vehicle to allow an observer to recognize atleast a general shape 126 of the vehicle. For the examples discussedherein, therefore, the light set 12 is at least attached to the frame ofthe vehicle 100. The light emitters 14 radiate light and aresufficiently close to each other such that the shape of the vehicle 100can be recognized or otherwise observed. Although components of thevehicle 100 are not shown in FIG. 1D, at least portions of somecomponents may be visible in some lighting conditions.

Depending on the particular device 10, light set design, and situation,the light set 12 may provide one or more advantages or desirablefeatures. In some circumstances, the light set 12 may be for decorativepurposes and may provide a visually pleasing illumination display. Thecolors and positions of the light emitters 14 may be selected to presenta particular desired appearance. For example, the light set 12 designmay capture holidays, sport team colors, country colors, event logos(e.g., Olympics), and movie, theme park, and cartoon characters (e.g.,Disney® and Star Wars characters). In some situations, the light set 12allows for increased safety due to increased visibility of the mobilitydevice 12 in low light conditions. The light set 12, for example, mayincrease the visibility of wheeled mobility devices on sidewalks orcrosswalks thereby decreasing the chances for an accident. In addition,the light set 12 may allow the mobility device 10 to be easilyrecognizable in crowds. For example, a child stroller with the light set12 may be easily recognizable at a large distance in the dark or in lowlight conditions. Such a feature may be particularly useful at night ina crowded area such as a theme park where parents are separated but caneasily detect and identify their child's stroller in the midst ofmultiple strollers and people. In most situations, the light setsimultaneously provides multiple advantages.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an example of a light set 12. For theexample, the light set 12 includes a power source 120 such as battery202, a flexible conductor 122, such as a flexible wire system includinga first wire 204 and second wire 206, and a plurality of light emitters(14) 208, 210 such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or light bulbs. Insome circumstances, the light set 12 also includes a user interface 212and controller 214 although either or both can be omitted. Thecontroller 214 and user interface 212 may form a simple on/off switch insome circumstances. The controller 214, may control power to the lightemitters 14 in order to facilitate flashing and/or to set the color ofthe light emitters 14. For example, the controller 214 may turn on andturn off the light emitters such that the light emitters flash on andoff. The duty cycle of the flashing may be changed by the controller 214to obtain a desired pattern of flashing. The current and/or voltageprovided to the light emitters 14 when the light emitters 14 are “on”may be adjusted by the controller 214 to obtain a desired color of thelight emitters. For example, where the light emitters are LEDs, color ofthe emitted light may be manipulated by setting the DC current and/or DCvoltage provided to the LEDs. Also, the color may be adjusted by settinga duty cycle and/or waveform of a varying power supply to the LEDs. Inaddition to other electrical components, the controller 214 may includea microprocessor, processor, or other logical components that areconfigured to perform the discussed control functions. The userinterface 212 is any mechanism that allows a user to input informationor make selections and may be implemented as one or more buttonsconnected to the controller 214. As discussed above, the user interface212 and controller 214 may form a switch that electrically connects anddisconnects the battery from the flexible conductor. In some situations,the light set 12 may include an additional switch that is used toconnect and disconnect the battery from the conductor or the controller214.

Although in most situations all the light emitters of the light set arethe same type, color, and size, the light emitters on a single light setmay differ. For example, different color light emitters may be used on asingle light set.

For the examples herein, the flexible conductor 122 is sufficientlyflexible to allow the light set to be routed along the contours of amobility assistance device without kinking or breaking. Someapplications require the conductor to be bent at significant angles. Insome situations, the flexible conductor 122 may need to be folded in a180 degree bend. Since some mobility assistance devices may beadjustable, foldable, or otherwise reconfigurable, the flexibleconductor is also configured to withstand repeated bending withoutkinking or breaking. For example, where the light set is routed along astroller through a linkage mechanism, joint or “break point” used forcollapsing the stroller, repeated collapsing and expanding of thestroller will result in repeated bending of the flexible conductor atthe break point that should not result in any undesired deterioration ofthe conductor or insulation.

The flexible conductor 122 may include more than two conductors (e.g.,wires) in some situations. For example, where the plurality of lightemitters includes multiple sets of light emitters to be controlledindependently, an additional conductor may be needed for each set oflight emitters.

For the example of FIG. 2A, the battery 202 and the controller 214 areenclosed in a housing 216. The housing 216 is preferably plasticalthough other materials may be used in some situations. The flexibleconductor 122 connects to circuitry inside the housing and extendsthrough an opening in the housing 216. For the examples herein, theflexible conductor 122 has a lead portion 218 that extends from thehousing 216 to the first light emitter 208. The length 220 of the leadportion 218 is typically longer than a distance (spacing) 222 betweenthe light emitters 208, 210 (218). An example of a suitable length 220of the lead portion 218 is one foot. As explained above, the spacing (D)222 between the light emitters is sufficiently small to facilitatesufficiently highlighting the features of the mobility device. Althoughvarious spacing can be used, the spacing 222 should be less than sixinches and greater than one half inch. In some situations, the spacing222 is less than five inches. In other situations, the spacing 222 isless than four inches. In still other circumstances, the spacing 222 isless than three inches. A preferred spacing 222 is between 1.5 and 2.5inches. For the examples herein, the spacing 222 is approximately twoinches although spacing of less than two inches may be used. For someexamples herein, the spacing 222 between adjacent light emitters is thesame although different spacing can be used in some situations. Asdiscussed below, for example, where a light set 12 is designed for aparticular mobility assistance device, the spacing between each lightemitter may be selected in accordance with the features of the devicesuch that each light emitter is positioned at a preferred location onthe mobility assistance device.

In one example, the number of light emitters 14 of a light set 12 andlength 224 of the light set 12 is sufficient to allow highlighting of atleast a portion of the mobility assistance device such that the startingand end points of the light set 12 occur at transition areas of thefeatures of the mobility assistance device. In other words, the lightset length 224 should allow the light set 12 to be attached to themobility assistance device 10 in such a way that the housing 216 and theend of the light strand are not located along a device feature. Asdiscussed below, a method of applying the light set 12 to the mobilityassistance device 10 includes placing the housing 120 in aninconspicuous location on the mobility assistance device 10 such as afloor area of a stroller. An example of a suitable length 224 is 11 feetalthough a length between 2 feet and 20 feet may be used. Therefore,other examples of lengths that can be used include lengths of 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 feet as well aslengths between any of these lengths.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of an example of a light set 12 having 60light emitters 14. The number of light emitters 14 depends on the lightemitters spacing 222, light set length 224, and lead length 220. Anexample of a suitable number of light emitters is 60. Therefore, for oneexample, the light set is 11.0 feet long, has a lead length of 1.0 foot,and includes 60 light emitters with a light emitter spacing of 2.0inches. Although the illustration of FIG. 2B depicts an example of alight set having these characteristics, it is not necessarily to scale.

FIG. 3A is an illustration of a perspective view of the personalmobility assistance device 10 for an example where the device 10 is achild stroller 300 with the light set 12. FIG. 3B is an illustration ofa perspective view of the personal mobility assistance device 10 for anexample where the device 10 is a baby stroller 302 with the light set12. FIG. 3C is an illustration of a perspective view of the personalmobility assistance device 10 for an example where the device 10 is apet stroller 304 with the light set 12. FIG. 3D is an illustration of aside view of the personal mobility assistance device 10 for an examplewhere the device 10 is a wheel chair 306 with the light set 12. FIG. 3Eis an illustration of a perspective view of the personal mobilityassistance device 10 for an example where the device 10 is a walker 308with the light set 12. FIG. 3F is an illustration of a side view of thepersonal mobility assistance device 10 for an example where the device10 is a crutch with the light set 12. FIGS. 3A-3F show some examples ofattaching the light set 12 to different types of devices 10. The lightsets can be attached to different portions of the devices in otherexamples. Also, each type of device may have any of numerous specificdesigns. In the interest of clarity, the illustrations of FIGS. 3A-3F donot necessarily depict all details of the light set and the mobilityassistance devices. For example, the illustrations of FIGS. 3A-3F arenot necessarily to scale and do not necessarily show all of the lightemitters that may be used on a light set.

FIG. 4A is an illustration of a side view of an example of a portion ofa mobility assistance device with a linkage mechanism 402. Many mobilityassistance devices include linkage mechanisms 402 to facilitateadjustment for size or performance or to facilitate reconfiguration ofthe device 10 for portability. Typically, the linkage mechanism 402 issecurable or lockable in at least one position. In most situations, thelinkage mechanism 402 is lockable in a position where the device 100 isin a configuration for use. The linkage mechanism 402 may also be locked(secured) in other positions, in some circumstances. For example, thelinkage mechanism 402 may be lockable in a portability configuration fortransporting the device 10 in a compact form. Where the linkagemechanism facilitates adjustment, there may be multiple lockablepositions. For the example of FIG. 4A, the linkage mechanism 402 is ahinge that is lockable in at least one position that secures threemembers 404, 406, 408 of the device frame in a configuration for usingthe device 100. When released, the hinge allows rotation of a firstmember 404, second member 406 and third member 408 relative to eachother. Referring briefly to FIG. 4B, FIG. 4B is an illustration of thehinge in another position when the members have rotated relative to eachother. When secured in the position shown in FIG. 4A, the three members404, 406, 408 are fixed (locked) relative to each other and the device100 can be used. The hinge may allow any number of device members tomove relative to each other. For example, the hinge may facilitatemovement of two members of the device.

Another example of a linkage mechanism includes a slide where at leasttwo members can slide relative to each other and are lockable in atleast one position. Devices may include other types of linkagemechanisms as well as combinations of mechanisms for allowing the deviceto be reconfigured.

Therefore, a mobility assistance device may include one or more linkagemechanisms that allow reconfiguration of the device. For the examplesdiscussed herein, the light sets are secured to components of the devicein such a way that the flexible conductor 122 is essentially immobilerelative to the device component at the point where flexible conductoris secured on the device component. As a result, for the examples, thelight set 12 is attached to the device in such a way that the light setis not damaged when the device is reconfigured and the light set doesnot restrict reconfiguration of the device. As shown in FIG. 4A, atleast one light set is secured to the three members 404, 406, 408. Aflexible mechanical fastener 124 secures the light set 12 to the device100 at each of several attachment points 410 on the device components404, 406, 408.

FIG. 4B is an illustration of a side view of the linkage mechanism 402in a second configuration. For the example of FIG. 4B, the members 404,406, 408 have been rotated relative to each other to place the device ina compact configuration. The light set 12 is attached to the device suchthat the linkage mechanism can be placed in the second configurationwithout restricting the movement of the linkage mechanism or damagingthe light set. Portions 412 of the light set between the connectionpoints 410 on either side of the linkage mechanism are not stressed. Theflexible conductor 122 is sufficiently flexible to allow repeatedreconfiguration of the device. The two portions 412 in the example,therefore, form loops with the additional slack created when the linkagemechanism is placed in the compact configuration.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a side view of an example of a light setattachment route 500 and sequence. Although for the example the mobilityassistance device 10 is a wheel chair 306, the light set attachmentprocedure can be applied to any type of mobility assistance device 10.The sequence is illustrated with lettered boxes and arrows to indicatethe attachment route 500 and sequence of the light set 12. For theexample, the light attachment route 500 begins at a start point 502 atthe handle and continues along the direction of the arrows to thelettered boxes in ascending alphabetical order. Accordingly, the lightset is attached to the frame of the wheel chair along the route from boxA to box B and so on to box O. The wheel chair 306 includes at leastthree linkage mechanisms sometimes referred to as “break points”. Forthe examples herein, the start point, end point, and the attachmentroute are selected to achieve several goals. One goal includespositioning the housing 216 in an inconspicuous location. Another goalincludes minimizing the number of light emitters that are hidden fromview. A third goal includes positioning the end of the light setopposite the housing 216 at a transition point of the frame of thedevice or at an end of a component of the device. Yet another goal is toallow the linkage mechanisms to be fully adjustable. For the example,light set end opposite the housing 216 is attached at the handle at thestart point 502 and routed along the route 500 along the frame to theend point at box O. The light set 12 is attached at the start point 502with a mechanical fastener 124 and at each side of a change in directionof the route 500. Additional mechanical fasteners 124 are applied alonglong straight sections of the route 500. A suitable spacing betweenmechanical fasteners 124 along straight sections is six to eight inches.In some circumstances, a larger spacing may be used. For example, aspacing of 10 inches or more may be used along straight sections thatare not likely to be disturbed by the occupant of the device 10 orothers. In some circumstances, spacing smaller than six inches may beused along straight sections. For example, if the device is a childstroller 300 and the straight section is easily accessible by the childriding in the stroller 300, it may be advantageous to use a spacing offour inches or less. Such smaller spacing reduces the likelihood thatthe child will be able to create slack in the light set strand bypulling on the light set, thereby reducing the chances of the childplacing a limb between the light set strand and the device 10 orotherwise becoming tangled with the light set due to the additionalslack. Depending on the particular installation, other spacingdimensions can be used and can range anywhere from 1 to 20 inches.

FIG. 6A is a block diagram of an example of a light set kit 600. For theexample of FIG. 6A, the light set kit 600 includes a light set 12,mechanical fasteners 124 and attachment instructions 602. In somesituations, the light set kit 600 also includes packaging 604 that holdsthe other components of the kit 600. The attachment instructions 602include a description of a method of attaching the light set 12 to amobility assistance device 10. The attachment instructions 602 maydescribe a method for attaching the light set 12 to multiple types ofmobility assistance devices, a single type of mobility assistancedevice, multiple specific devices or a single specific device.Therefore, the instructions may include descriptions for attaching lightsets to child strollers, wheel chairs, pet strollers, knee strollers,walkers, crutches, and canes, or may include descriptions only forwheeled devices, for example. In some situations, the attachmentinstructions 602 may only be directed to one type of device such aschild strollers. In other situations, the instructions may be directedto a specific model of device (e.g., a particular child stroller model).In still other circumstances, the attachment instructions may includeattachment descriptions for each of multiple specific models (e.g.,instructions covering each of multiple child stroller models). For theexamples herein, the attachment instructions 602 include text 606 andimages 608 describing a method of attaching a light set 12 to a mobilityassistance device 10 including at least a location for placing thehousing 216 and attachment route 500 along the components of the device100. The attachment instructions may be printed on paper or may beprovided on an electronic storage medium such as a thumb drive,diskette, compact disc (CD) or other type of memory device. In anotherexample described below, the attachment instructions 602 are provided tothe user by providing a code or other information that allows the userto access the instructions stored at remote location such as a serverconnected to the Internet.

FIG. 6B is a block diagram of an example of a light set kit 600 wherethe attachment instructions are provided on the Internet. For theexample of FIG. 6B, the light set kit 600 includes a light set 12,mechanical fasteners 124 and a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) 610 to aresource on the Internet including attachment instructions. Theattachment instructions may include any combination of text, images,photographs, and video that describe the process for attaching the lightset to a mobility device. The instructions provided on the Internet mayalso include specific instructions for specific mobility device modelsallowing the installer to access the specific instructions for attachingthe light set to the particular model on which the light set is beinginstalled by the installer.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a model specific light set 700 for anexample where the light set 700 is designed for a particular model ofmobility assistance device. A light set 12 designed for a specific model(or small number of similar models) is referred to herein as a modelspecific light set 700. For the example, at least the total length 224,spacing between light emitters 222 and the lead length 220 are selectedin accordance with the structure and dimensions of a particular mobilityassistance device 100. The exemplary light set 700 has at least threedifferent light emitter spacing values 702, 704, 706. A first spacing(D1) 702 is used in portions of the light set 700 that are attached toportions of the device 100 that are to be highlighted. A second spacing(D2) 704 is the smallest spacing relative to other spacing on the lightset and is used in portions 708 of the light set 700 that are attachedto areas of the mobility assistance device 100 that are emphasized. Inother words, the narrow spacing sections 708 using the second spacing(D2) 704 include more light emitters per unit length relative to othersections of the light set 12 in order to accentuate the portions of thedevice where the narrow spacing sections 708 are attached. A thirdspacing (D3) 706 is used for sections 710 that will not be visible orthat will be attached to components of the device that are not to behighlighted. The third spacing (D3) 706 is relatively large and istypically for extending the light set from one component of the deviceto another without highlighting the intermediate area.

The lead length 220 is also selected to accommodate a specific device.For example, the lead length may be selected such that it allows forplacing the housing in a preferred location while having the first lightemitter positioned at a preferred location on the device. In onesituation, the preferred location for the housing is a pocket or othercompartment on the device and the first emitter is preferably positionedat an end of a device component. The lead length 220 is selected suchthat the lead portion 218 can be easily routed between the two locationswithout excessive slack.

The total length 224 of the model specific light set 700 is selectedbased on the dimensions of the device and the light set attachmentroute. For the examples, the length is such that the end of the lightset is attached at the end of the preferred route. In other words, it ispreferred that the end of the light set does not occur in the middle ofa device component that is highlighted.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a portion of a light set 800 for an examplewhere the mechanical fasteners 802 (124) are part of the light set 800.For the example of FIG. 8 , a plurality of the mechanical fasteners ispermanently attached to the light set 800. Typically, each flexibleplastic mechanical faster 802 is molded to the flexible conductor 122during manufacturing. Other techniques can be used to attach themechanical fasteners 802 to the light set 800. For example, themechanical fasteners 802 can be attached by gluing, bonding, orotherwise mechanically securing the mechanical fasteners 802 to thelight set 800.

Each mechanical fastener 802 includes a first band 804 and a second band806 where the first band 804 is securable to the second band 806 througha fastening mechanism 808 that includes features 810 on the first band804 and features 812 on the second band 806. For example, the first band804 may include ridges 808 or other protruding features that engage areceiver 810 on the second band 806 where the first band 804 is insertedinto the receiver 812 which grasps the first band 804 such that itcannot be removed. When the light set 800 is attached to the mobilityassistance device, the bands 804, 806 of the mechanical fasteners arewrapped around a component of the device and the first band 804 issecured to the second band 806. For the examples herein, the fasteningmechanism is releasable to allow removal of the mechanical fastener 802.Techniques such as those used for releasable cable ties may be used, forexample. The releasable fastening mechanism may require a tool toactuate the release. In one example, the tool (not shown) engages arelease trigger 814 on the receiver to allow the first band to beremoved from the receiver. Such tool releasable techniques may be usefulwhere the mobility assistance device is carrying a child and thereleasable fastening mechanism requiring a tool minimizes thepossibility of the child removing or loosening the light set. Otherchild-safe mechanisms may also be used in some circumstances.

In some circumstance, the mechanical fasteners 802 are attached alongthe length light set at equal spacing. In other situations, the spacingmay not be uniform. Where the light set is a model specific light, forexample, the spacing is selected based on the particular model of themobility assistance device.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a portion of an example of a model specificlight set 900 where the position of each mechanical fastener is selectedbased on a specific mobility assistance device model. For the example ofFIG. 9 , the position 901-905 of each fastening mechanism 906-910 alongthe length of the light set 900 is strategically selected to coincidewith features 911-916 on the mobility assistance device. For example,the mechanical fasteners can be secured to the light set at positionsalong the length of the light set that coincide with the ends of framemembers and at points where the light set strand changes direction tofollow the features of the mobility assistance device. FIG. 9 shows aside view of a portion of a frame 917 of a mobility assistance devicefor which the light set 900 is designed. For the example of FIG. 9 , thepositions 901, 902, 903, 905 of four mechanical fasteners 906, 907, 908,910 coincide with the ends of frame members 811, 812, 813, 915 where thelight set changes direction when attached to the frame 916. In somesituations, a mechanical fastener has a position that does notcorrespond in a change in direction of the light set route. In FIG. 9 ,for example, one mechanical fastener 909 has a position 909corresponding to a point 914 in between inflection points along theattachment route of the light set 900. Such positions may be selected toavoid excessive slack and to tightly secure the light set along straightsections of the device.

FIG. 10A is an illustration of an example of a customizable light set1000. The customizable light set 1000 includes a flexible conductor 122and a plurality of attachable light emitters 1002 where the attachablelight emitters 1002 can be secured and connected to the flexibleconductor at user-desired positions along the length of the flexibleconductor 122. For the examples herein, the customizable light set 1000is similar to the light sets discussed above except that the lightemitters are not permanently attached to the flexible conductor 122.Accordingly, the customizable light set 1000 may include a flexibleconductor 122, battery 202, controller 214, housing 216 and anycombination of features discussed above. For the example, the light setincludes a battery and controller connected to the flexible conductor122, a plurality of flexible fasteners, and a plurality of attachablelight emitters 1002 that are not attached to the flexible conductor whenthe light set is acquired by the user/installer. When the user obtainedthe light set 1000, in most circumstances, the customizable light set1000 includes a light set core assembly 1003 and a plurality ofattachable light emitters 1002 where the light set core is assembled andthe light emitters 102 are not yet attached. The light set core assembly1003 includes at least the flexible conductor 122 and a batteryalthough, in most situations, the light set core assembly 1003 includesa housing connected to the flexible conductor and that encloses thebattery, controller and includes a user interface 212.

In most situations, the light set 1000 is attached to a device by firstattaching the flexible conductor 122 to the components of the device 10with the flexible mechanical fasteners 124 and then attaching theattachable light emitters 1002 to the flexible conductor at thepreferred locations. In some situations, however, the attachable lightemitters 1002 can be attached to the flexible conductor 122 before thelight set 1000 is secured to the device 10.

The customizable light set 1000 allows for efficient use of lightemitters and a tailored light set installation on a mobility device 10.More specifically, the light emitters can be placed in locations on thedevice where illumination is desired and can be omitted along sectionsof flexible conductor 122 where illumination is not necessarily desired.The light emitter spacing can be adjusted in accordance with a desiredappearance. For example, sections that are to be emphasized can includesmall light emitter spacing to increase the number of light emitters perlength while spacing along other sections can be increased in order tocreate a contrast between the sections. Light emitters are not “wasted”along sections that are not seen as could be the case where the lightemitters are permanently fixed and the installation requires routingthrough an area that will not allow the light emitters to be seen. Otheradvantages of the customizable light set 1000 include the ability forthe user/installer to position light emitters with particularcharacteristics in selected locations. For example, in some situations,the customizable light set 1000 includes attachable light emitters 1002having different colors allowing the user to further customize theinstallation. In addition to selecting particular colors, the pattern ofcolors can be selected.

FIG. 10B is an illustration of a side view and FIG. 10C is anillustration of a perspective view of a portion of an example of acustomizable light set 1000. FIG. 10D is an illustration of a side viewand FIG. 10E is an illustration of a perspective view of thecustomizable light set 1000 showing an attachable light emitter 1002secured to the flexible conductor 122. For the example, each attachablelight emitter 1002 includes an upper component 1004 and lower component1006 that can be separated from each other sufficiently to allow theflexible conductor 122 to be positioned between the two components 1004,1006. After the user positions the attachable light emitter 1002 at adesired attachment point along the length of the flexible conductor, thelower component 1006 is secured to the upper component 1004 such thattwo penetration tabs 1008, 1010 make contact with each electricalconductor 1012, 1013 of the flexible conductor 122, respectively. Eachpenetration tab 1008, 1010 pierces the insulation 1014, 1015 coveringthe electrical conductor 1008, 1010 and penetrates the electricalconductor 1013, 1014. A fastening mechanism 1016 secures the uppercomponent to the lower component. For the example, the fasteningmechanism 1016 includes a plurality of prongs 1018 on the lowercomponent 1006 that each engages a prong receiver 1020 on the uppercomponent 1004. The user presses the two components together to pressthe prongs 1018 into the prong receivers 1020 to “snap” the twocomponents together and attach the attachable light emitter to theflexible conductor 122. The prongs 1016 and prong receivers 1018 have aconfiguration and composition such that prongs 1018 can be pushed intothe prong receiver with limited resistance to connect the twocomponents. After the prongs are fully inserted into the prong receivers1020, the components cannot be separated without force. An example of asuitable configuration and composition of fastening mechanism 1016includes a prong that has a shaft 1022 that is smaller than a tip 1024where the prong receiver is formed within a flexible material of theupper component 1004. In such a configuration, the larger prong tip 1024is squeezed through the narrower shaft opening 1026 of the prongreceiver 1016 and settles into a larger tip area 1028 of the prongreceiver 1016 when the prong 1018 is fully inserted. In some situations,the material of the prong 1018 is additionally/alternatively made of aflexible material.

Any number of prong-receiver prong pairs can be used. For example, asingle pair can be used on each side of the flexible conductor. Inanother example, two pairs can be included on each side of the flexibleconductor such that four pairs are included on each attachable lightemitter 1002. Numerous other combinations and variations of the examplecan also be implemented. For example, prongs can be included on both thelower component and upper component. Also, prongs can be included onlyon the upper component in some situations.

FIG. 10D is an illustration of a side view of the exemplary customizablelight set 1000 where the attachable light emitter 1002 is secured to theflexible conductor 122. As mentioned above, the penetration tabs makecontact with the conductors when the light emitter is secured to theflexible conductor. As the lower and upper components are pressedtogether the penetration tabs puncture the insulation of the flexibleconductor and become embedded in the electrical conductors making anelectrical connection between each conductor and an electrical port ofthe light emitter. For example, where the light emitter is an LED, oneconductor is electrically connected to one port of the LED and the otherconductor is electrically connected to the other port of the LED.

In some circumstances, the flexible conductor includes more than twoelectrical conductors and at least some light emitters may include morethan two electrical ports. For example, a light emitter may include morethan one LED. Such a technique may be used to generate a particularcolor by mixing the colors of two differently colored emitting LEDs.Where different voltages across the two LEDs are adjusted or otherwisevaried by the controller, additional electrical conductors may beincluded in the flexible conductor. As a result, the attachable lightemitter 1002 may be configured to attach to a flexible conductorincluding more than two electrical conductors and may include more thantwo penetration tabs in some circumstances.

Other types of fastening mechanisms can be used. For example, the lowercomponent can be connected to the upper component at a hinge such that afastening mechanism is secured at the opposite end of the hinge. Otherexamples include clasps at the outer portion of the upper and lowercomponents and threaded mechanism where the lower component 1006 isscrewed to the upper component 1004.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example of a customizable light set kit1100. For the example of FIG. 11 , the customizable light set kit 1100includes a customizable light set 12, mechanical fasteners 124 andattachment instructions 602. In some situations, the light set kit 600also includes packaging 604 that holds the other components of the kit1100. The customizable light set includes at least a light set coreassembly 1003 and a plurality of attachable light emitters 1002. In oneexample, the purchaser of the light set kit 1100 may select the color ofthe light emitters 1002 at the time of purchase. The attachmentinstructions 602 include a description of a method of attaching thelight set to a mobility assistance device. The attachment instructionsmay describe a method for attaching the light set to multiple types ofmobility assistance devices, a single type of mobility assistancedevice, multiple specific devices or a single specific device.Therefore, the instructions may include descriptions for attaching lightsets to child strollers, wheel chairs, pet strollers, knee strollers,walkers, crutches, and canes or may include descriptions only forwheeled devices, for example. In some situations, the instructions mayonly cover one type of device such as only child strollers. In othersituations, the instructions may only cover a specific model of device(e.g., a particular child stroller model). In still other circumstances,the attachment instructions may include attachment descriptions for eachof multiple specific models (e.g., instructions covering each ofmultiple child stroller models). In some situations, the instructionscan be omitted.

Other combinations of examples discussed above can be used in someimplementations of the customizable light set kit. For example, in somesituations, the light set core assembly may include a plurality of themechanical fasteners that are permanently attached to the light set1000.

FIG. 12A is a flow chart of a first example of a method of attaching alight set to a mobility assistance device 10. The method can be used forinstalling a light set to any type of wheeled or non-wheeled mobilityassistance device. The order of the steps may be changed in somecircumstances and some steps may be omitted.

At step 1202, the housing 216 is positioned in an inconspicuous locationon the mobility assistance device within a distance of the lead lengthfrom the desired position of the first light emitter. Examples ofinconspicuous locations include floors and under the seat storagecompartments of the mobility assistance device 10. Preferable locationsfor the housing 216 include locations that will not result in prolongedexposure of the housing to heat or moisture. In some situations, thehousing 216 is attached to the frame of the device 10.

At step 1204, the flexible conductor is secured to a device componentwith a flexible mechanical fastener where the flexible mechanicalfastener is attached near the first light emitter.

At step 1206, the light set is routed along the device component usingflexible mechanical fasteners to attach flexible conductor to the devicecomponent. In one example, a flexible mechanical fastener is attached atevery ten inches along straight sections of the light set route toattach the light set to the device 10. At each change in direction ofthe route, flexible mechanical fasteners are attached at both sides ofthe route direction change. For example, if the light set is attachedalong a frame of the device and the frame has a component that is angledor the route traverses a path along a first component to a secondcomponent that has an angle to the first component different than 180degrees, flexible mechanical fasteners 124 are attached before and afterthe change in direction. In some situations, a route along straightsection may have flexible mechanical fasteners spaced at a distance lessthan ten inches. For example, where the position and/or angle of thelight emitters changes along the route, flexible mechanical fastenersmay assist properly positioning the light set.

At step 1208, the light set is routed over linkage mechanism usingflexible mechanical fasteners to attach the flexible conductor to thedevice components on each side of the linkage mechanism allowingsufficient slack for movement of the linkage mechanism andreconfiguration of the mobility assistance device.

At step 1210, the light set is routed such that the end of the light setoccurs at the end of the device component. Preferably, the light emitterfarthest from the housing along the length of the flexible conductor ispositioned to avoid an appearance that the light set route ends otherthan an end of a device component. For example, the farthest lightemitter should not be positioned in the middle of a frame member in mostsituations.

Therefore, for the example of FIG. 12A, the light set is attached to themobility assistance device by positioning the housing in aninconspicuous location and attach the light set to the device usingflexible mechanical fasteners along a route that traverses the featuresof the mobility device 10 to an end point that coincides with an endpoint of a device component. For the examples, the light set issemi-permanently secured to the device such that children and pets arenot able to easily remove the light set from the frame. As discussedabove, permanent cable ties may be used as the flexible mechanicalfasteners where the cable ties must be cut to remove the light set.Where releasable fasteners, such as reusable cable ties, are used,safety can be increased by using releasable fasteners that require atool to remove the fastener. For the examples herein, the light set ispositioned such that no component of the light set interferes withnormal operation of the device. For example, in most situations, thelight set should not interfere with rotation of wheels, maneuvering thedevice, reconfiguring the device, or transporting the device.

FIG. 12B is a flow chart of a second example of a method of attaching alight set to a mobility assistance device 10. The method can be used forinstalling a light set to any type of wheeled or non-wheeled mobilityassistance device. The order of the steps may be changed in somecircumstances and some steps may be omitted.

At step 1212, light emitter farthest from the housing along the lengthof the light set is positioned at the furthest point along the plannedlight set route along the features of the mobility device 10 and suchthat the end of the light set (i.e., light emitter farthest from thehousing) occurs at the end of a device component. Preferably, the lightemitter farthest from the housing along the length of the flexibleconductor is positioned to avoid an appearance that the light set routeends in location other than an end of a device component. For example,the farthest light emitter should not be positioned in the middle of aframe member in most situations.

At step 1214, the flexible conductor is secured to a device componentwith a flexible mechanical fastener where the flexible mechanicalfastener is attached near the farthest light emitter.

At step 1216, the light set is routed along the device component usingflexible mechanical fasteners to attach flexible conductor to the devicecomponent. In one example, a flexible mechanical fastener is attached atevery ten inches along straight sections of the light set route toattach the light set to the device 10. At each change in direction ofthe route, flexible mechanical fasteners are attached at both sides ofthe route direction change. For example, if the light set is attachedalong a frame of the device and the frame has a component that is angledor the route traverses a path along a first component to a secondcomponent that has an angle to the first component different than 180degrees, flexible mechanical fasteners 124 are attached before and afterthe change in direction. In some situations, a route along straightsection may have flexible mechanical fasteners spaced at a distance lessthan ten inches. For example, where the position and/or angle of thelight emitters changes along the route, flexible mechanical fastenersmay assist in properly positioning the light set.

At step 1218, the light set is routed over linkage mechanism usingflexible mechanical fasteners to attach the flexible conductor to thedevice components on each side of the linkage mechanism allowingsufficient slack for movement of the linkage mechanism andreconfiguration of the mobility assistance device.

At step 1220, the light set is routed such that the housing 216 ispositioned in an inconspicuous location on the mobility assistancedevice within a distance of the lead length from the desired position ofthe first light emitter. Examples of inconspicuous locations includefloors and under the seat storage compartments of the mobilityassistance device 10. Preferable locations for the housing 216 includelocations that will not result in prolonged exposure of the housing toheat or moisture. In some situations, the housing 216 is attached to theframe of the device 10.

Therefore, for the example of FIG. 12B, the light set is attached to themobility assistance device by positioning the last light emitter at anend of a device component at a point furthest along the anticipatedlight set route. The light set is attached to the device using flexiblemechanical fasteners along the route that traverses the features of themobility device 10 to an inconspicuous location for placing the housing.As discussed with reference to FIG. 12A, the light set issemi-permanently secured to the device such that children and pets arenot able to easily remove the light set from the frame in some examples.As discussed above, permanent cable ties may be used as the flexiblemechanical fasteners where the cables ties must be cut to remove thelight set. Where releasable fasteners, such as reusable cable ties, areused, safety can be increased by using releasable fasteners that requirea tool to remove the fastener. For the examples herein, the light set ispositioned such that no component of the light set interferes withnormal operation of the device. For example, in most situations, thelight set should not interfere with rotation of wheels, maneuvering thedevice, reconfiguring the device, or transporting the device.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a portion of a light set 1300 for anexample where the colors of the light emitters correspond to colors of alogo 1302. In some situations, the colors of the light emitters of alight set are selected to represent a holiday, event, country, or acharacter. For example, the colors may correspond to the logo or themeof a specific sports team or theme park character or may correspond tothe logo or theme of a sporting event, such as an Olympic event, WorldCup event, or professional game or match. The user of the light set maywish to promote, show their support for, or indicate their admirationfor a specific event, team, character, company, or holiday by selectingand/or installing light sets with specific colors on their personalmobility assistance device. Holidays and general events may be reflectedby colors generally associated with the particular holiday. For example,Christmas may be associated with red and green, Valentine's Day may beassociated with red and pink, St Patrick's Day may be associated withgreen or several shades of green, and Halloween may be associated withorange. Light emitters that emit light in these colors may be selectedto represent the particular holiday or event. In some situations,however, the light emitter colors may be selected to correspond tospecific colors of a logo, theme, or character.

FIG. 13 includes a generic representation of a logo 1302 that includesgeneric symbols 1304, 1306 having different colors. Numerous types ofsymbols, names, words, characters, patterns, and colors may be includedin any particular logo. For the example of FIG. 13 , the logo 1302includes two symbols, where a first symbol 1304 having a first color ispresented over a first background 1308 having a second color and asecond symbol 1306 having the second color is presented over a secondbackground 1310 having the first color. The light set 1300 includes aplurality of light emitters 1312 having the first color and a pluralityof light emitters 1314 having the second color. Accordingly, the colorsof the light emitters directly correspond to the colors of the logo1302. Clearly, any number of light emit colors can be used and mayinclude less colors than the logo that is represented. Preferably, alight set that represents a particular logo includes at least the colorsof the logo that are unique or otherwise associated with the logo. Inaddition, the light emitter colors are preferably matched closely to thecolors of the particular logo. As mentioned above, a particular logo mayinclude any combination of letters, characters, patterns, and symbolsand the symbols 1302, 1304 shown in FIG. 13 may be letters in somecircumstances.

To further illustrate applications of some of the features andalternatives discussed above to a specific example, the followingdiscussion is directed to the logos of Louisiana State University. Atleast one logo used by the University includes the capital letters of“LSU” in one of the authorized colors that include purple and gold, aswell as some other secondary colors. Another variation of the logoincludes the capital letters in purple outlined in gold. In othercircumstances, the logo also includes an image of a tiger formed by atleast the purple and gold. A light set for the example may include lightemitters of two colors that best represent the logo and theme of theUniversity. As a result, such a light set may include a first pluralityof light emitters emitting purple light and a second set of lightemitters emitting gold light where the emitted light is matched to thelogo colors.

Numerous logos, themes, characters and events may be represented withlight sets having emitters with different colors. Some examples of logosand themes include logos, colors, and themes of sports teams of collegesand universities, such as those in the National Collegiate AthleticAssociation (NCAA), and of professional leagues, such as the NationalFootball League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major LeagueBaseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), and NorthAmerican Soccer League (NASL). Some examples of events that may berepresented by a light set include the Olympic events and World Cupevents. As mentioned above, countries may also be represented by a lightset. The light emitters' colors may correspond to the colors of thecountry's flag, for example. Light sets may be associated withcharacters, such as cartoon characters or theme park characters.

In addition, light sets may include a set of colored light emitters thatemit light in colors that reflect a particular generic theme. Forexample, various shades of pink, red, and white light emitters mayprovide a light set suitable for a baby stroller for a girl, whilevarious shades of blue and white light emitters may provide a light setsuitable for a baby stroller for a boy.

In some circumstances, a personal mobility device may be manufactured toinclude a light set. In one example, the light set is attached to themobility device at the factory using the techniques discussed in theexamples above. Accordingly, the light set may be attached with flexiblemechanical fasteners along a route to the components of the mobilitydevice after the device has otherwise been completed. In other examples,the mobility device may be designed to include clips or fasteningdevices that are part of, or permanently attached to, the components ofthe device allowing the light set to be attached to the device withoutadditional mechanical fasteners. In another example, the light set maybe implemented within the components of the device during manufacturingsuch that the light emitters are permanently attached or protrudethrough holes on the components. In such examples, the flexibleconductor may be replaced by permanent non-conductors that are part ofthe components of the device. Such implementations may also includeflexible conductors for traversing “break points” or linkage mechanismsin configurable devices. In some situations, a length of flexibleconductor may simply provide a “jumper” from one side of the linkagemechanism to the other allowing the device to be collapsed, expanded orotherwise reconfigured. In other situations, the linkage mechanism mayinclude contacts that provide an electrical connection across thelinkage mechanism in operable configurations of the device. Where thelinkage mechanism has two positions such as expanded, operableconfiguration and a collapsed, transportation configuration, thecontacts may only provide an electrical connection across the linkagemechanism when the device is in the operable configuration. Where anadjustable/reconfigurable device has an adjustment linkage mechanismthat allows for serval operable positions of the linkage mechanism,several contacts may provide for electrical connections in each of theoperable positions. Where a section of flexible conductor traverses alinkage mechanism, the flexible conductor may be within the component ofthe device in some cases.

Clearly, other embodiments and modifications of this invention willoccur readily to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of theseteachings. The above description is illustrative and not restrictive.This invention is to be limited only by the following claims, whichinclude all such embodiments and modifications when viewed inconjunction with the above specification and accompanying drawings. Thescope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not withreference to the above description, but instead should be determinedwith reference to the appended claims along with their full scope ofequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A personal mobility assistance device comprising:a frame comprising: a linkage mechanism, a first rigid frame component,and a second rigid frame component connected to the first rigid framecomponent by the linkage mechanism and moveable relative to the firstrigid frame component, the first rigid frame component having a firstopening, the second rigid frame component having a second opening, thesecond rigid component movable relative to the first component throughthe linkage mechanism such that the apparatus is capable of beingconfigured in a plurality of apparatus configurations; a light setcomprising: a conductor comprising a first component conductor portionwithin the first rigid component and a second component conductorportion within the second rigid component; and a first light emitterelectrically connected to the conductor and mounted within the firstopening; a second light emitter electrically connected to the conductorand mounted within the second opening, the conductor configured to form,when the light set is in an active on state, an electrical connectionbetween a power source and the light emitters to activate the lightemitters to emit light; and a conductor connection mechanism within thelinkage mechanism, the conductor connection mechanism comprising aplurality of contacts, the second component conductor portionelectrically connected to the first conductor portion by the conductorconnection mechanism through the plurality of contacts when the deviceis in at least one of the device configurations.
 2. The personalmobility assistance device of claim 1, wherein the first light emitterprotrudes through the first opening and the second light emitterprotrudes through the second opening.
 3. The personal mobility device ofclaim 1, wherein the first ridged component is electrically conductiveand the electrical connection comprises a ground connection pathcomprising the first ridged component.
 4. The personal mobility deviceof claim 3, wherein the second ridged component is electricallyconductive and the ground connection path further comprises the secondridged component.
 5. The personal mobility assistance device of claim 1,wherein at least one of the plurality of apparatus configurations is acollapsed transportation configuration, the first component conductorportion electrically disconnected from the second component conductorportion when the apparatus is in the collapsed transportationconfiguration.
 6. The personal mobility assistance device of claim 1,wherein the plurality of apparatus configurations comprises a collapsedtransportation configuration, the first component conductor portionelectrically disconnected from the second conductor component in thecollapsed transportation configuration.
 7. The personal mobilityassistance device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apparatusconfigurations comprises an operable device configuration, the secondcomponent conductor portion electrically connected to the firstconductor portion by the conductor connection mechanism through theplurality of contacts when the device is in the operable deviceconfiguration.
 8. The personal mobility assistance device of claim 1,wherein at least one component of the frame forms at least one portionof the conductor.
 9. A personal mobility assistance device comprising: aframe having a plurality of openings and comprising, a linkagemechanism, a first rigid frame component, and a second rigid framecomponent connected to the first rigid frame component by the linkagemechanism and moveable relative to the first rigid frame component, thefirst rigid frame component having a first portion of the plurality ofopenings, the second rigid frame component having a second portion ofthe plurality of openings, the second rigid component movable relativeto the first component through the linkage mechanism such that theapparatus is capable of being configured in a plurality of apparatusconfigurations comprising at least one operable device configuration foruse of the personal mobility device; a light set comprising: a conductorcomprising a first component conductor portion within the first rigidcomponent and a second component conductor portion within the secondrigid component; and a plurality of light emitters electricallyconnected to the conductor, the light set non-detachably attached to theframe such that each of the plurality of light emitters isnon-detachably mounted in one of the plurality of openings, theconductor configured to form, when the light set is in an active onstate, an electrical connection between a power source and the pluralityof light emitters to activate the plurality of light emitters to emitlight; and a conductor connection mechanism within the linkagemechanism, the conductor connection mechanism comprising a plurality ofcontacts, the second component conductor portion electrically connectedto the first conductor portion by the conductor connection mechanismthrough the plurality of contacts when the device is in the at least oneoperable device configuration.
 10. The personal mobility assistancedevice of claim 9, wherein the plurality of light emitters protrudethrough the openings.
 11. The personal mobility device of claim 1,wherein the first ridged component is electrically conductive and theelectrical connection comprises a ground connection path comprising thefirst ridged component.
 12. The personal mobility assistance device ofclaim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of apparatusconfigurations is a collapsed transportation configuration, the firstcomponent conductor portion electrically disconnected from the secondcomponent conductor portion when the apparatus is in the collapsedtransportation configuration.
 13. The personal mobility assistancedevice of claim 9, wherein at least one component of the frame forms atleast one portion of the conductor.
 14. A personal mobility assistancedevice comprising: a frame comprising a plurality of components, eachcomponent being rigid and having a plurality of openings, the pluralityof components comprising a first component and a second componentmovable relative to the first component through a linkage mechanism suchthat the second component is movable to at last two positions relativeto the first component allowing the device to be configured in aplurality of device configurations, the plurality of deviceconfigurations comprising an operable device configuration for use ofthe personal mobility device and a collapsed transportationconfiguration; a conductor having a first component conductor portionenclosed within the first component and a second component conductorportion enclosed in the second component; a conductor connectionmechanism within the linkage mechanism, the conductor connectionmechanism comprising a plurality of contacts, the second componentconductor portion electrically connected to the first conductor portionby the conductor connection mechanism through the plurality of contactswhen the device is in the operable device configuration, the secondcomponent conductor portion electrically disconnected from the firstconductor portion when the device is in the collapsed transportationconfiguration; and a plurality of light emitters electrically connectedto the conductor, each of the light emitters non-detachably mountedwithin an opening in the frame, the conductor configured to form, whenthe light set is in an active on state, an electrical connection betweena power source and the plurality of light emitters to activate theplurality of light emitters to emit light.
 15. The device of claim 14,wherein at least one component of the frame forms at least one portionof the conductor.
 16. The personal mobility assistance device of claim14, wherein the plurality of light emitters protrude through theopenings.
 17. The personal mobility assistance device of claim 14,wherein each of the plurality of light emitters is configured togenerate a light dot when activated, the light set attached to thepersonal mobility assistance device to outline features of the framesuch that the shape of the frame is discernable by observing a relativeposition of each light dot generated by each of the plurality of lightemitters to at least one other light dot generated by the another lightemitter of the plurality of light emitters.
 18. The personal mobilityassistance device of claim 14, wherein the spacing between each pair ofconsecutive light emitters is less than four inches.
 19. The personalmobility assistance device of claim 18, wherein the spacing between eachpair of consecutive light emitters is less than one inch.
 20. Thepersonal mobility assistance device of claim 14, wherein the personalmobility assistance device is child stroller.